mrz
24-01-03, 21:50
Feeling Among U.S. Troops in Kuwait: 'We'd Like to Go Home'
By Steven Gutkin Associated Press Writer
Published: Jan 24, 2003
SOUTH OF THE KUWAIT-IRAQ BORDER, Kuwait (AP) - The fighting men of the 3rd Infantry Division eagerly await news of Saddam Hussein's dance with weapons inspectors, of Europe's resistance to a new war, of the latest saber rattling out of Washington and Baghdad.
While the world's statesmen ponder whether to go to war, the men who would spearhead any U.S.-led attack on Iraq are hoping a decision will be made soon. The prevailing feeling: "We'd like to go home."
Soldiers undergoing training exercises in Kuwait say the uncertainty surrounding a possible war amounts to an uncomfortable waiting game.
"Everyone's a little nervous. The quicker we do what we have to do, the better," said Gordon Brown, a 25-year-old sergeant from Peoria, Ill.
Brown lights up a cigarette, looks out over the vast, barren sands a few miles south of the Iraqi border, and smiles. "We call this the world's largest ash tray," he said.
Physical training, target practice, mock war exercises and equipment maintenance take up much of the soldiers' work day, which usually begins at 6 a.m. and ends at midnight. During rest breaks and meals, soldiers sing, joke, play games and talk about their families.
"I'm going to miss my son's first birthday," said Pfc. Angel Lopez, 32, of San Juan, Puerto Rico. "When I left, my wife hugged me and said, 'Be safe.' Now I'm preparing for the worst but praying for the best."
Tens of thousands of U.S. troops are amassing in Kuwait in anticipation of a possible war to force Saddam to get rid of the biological, chemical and nuclear weapons the United States insists he possesses and he denies he has. The buildup is designed not only to give Washington the option of using force to oust Saddam but also to pressure the Iraqi leader to give up without a fight.
Some say a long delay in deciding whether to attack could cause American forces in the Persian Gulf to lose their fighting edge, especially if President Bush heeds the advice of allies and others to give diplomacy and U.N. weapons inspections more time to resolve the Iraq crisis.
Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said this week that the troops could stay ready for "several months, no problem," if necessary. The Pentagon also could rotate in fresh forces if needed, he noted.
He said weather is not the determining factor in whether to launch a strike.
"There is no doubt that no matter what time of year, we can fight and prevail in that environment," Myers said. The Americans' advanced ability to fight at night gives them a major edge, regardless of heat or cold, he said.
During training exercises in the Kuwaiti desert this week, soldiers of the Army's 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, based in Fort Stewart, Ga., concurred that preparedness is not a problem, no matter how long the wait.
"We're ready. We're at this point getting better and better. Now it's just a matter of maintenance," said 1st Lt. Lars Nadig, 25, of Yorktown, Va.
The soldiers interviewed expressed varying opinions about the possibility of war, with some saying they favored it and others saying no. At one point, two young men heatedly disagreed about whether America should attack Iraq without U.N. approval - a split reflected in U.S. public opinion.
Responding to reports that Saddam might be persuaded to go into exile to avoid war, Sgt. 1st Class Eric Wright, a 32-year-old from St. Paul, Minn., said: "I think he'll slug it out."
"Of course we prefer a diplomatic solution. Nobody likes war," he added.
The soldiers spoke about the worries of their families - and said the longer the wait, the greater the anxiety.
"I'm just taking it as it comes, taking it one day at a time, hoping for the best and hoping we don't go in," said Spc. Dennis Fowler, of Stevensville, Md.
The troops have limited access to newspapers, radio and the Internet. So visiting reporters are peppered with questions about the latest news.
Through it all, the troops work hard to keep up their fighting spirit.
Before storming shacks with M16 assault rifles - an exercise in urban warfare - they break into the 3rd Division's fighting ditty, the "Dog Face Soldier Song." Then a lone soldier with a winning voice sings a quiet ballad about unrequited love.
"You ought to hear him at night," says one of his peers. "He sings us all to sleep."
AP-ES-01-24-03 1454EST
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGASTA7KCBD.html
By Steven Gutkin Associated Press Writer
Published: Jan 24, 2003
SOUTH OF THE KUWAIT-IRAQ BORDER, Kuwait (AP) - The fighting men of the 3rd Infantry Division eagerly await news of Saddam Hussein's dance with weapons inspectors, of Europe's resistance to a new war, of the latest saber rattling out of Washington and Baghdad.
While the world's statesmen ponder whether to go to war, the men who would spearhead any U.S.-led attack on Iraq are hoping a decision will be made soon. The prevailing feeling: "We'd like to go home."
Soldiers undergoing training exercises in Kuwait say the uncertainty surrounding a possible war amounts to an uncomfortable waiting game.
"Everyone's a little nervous. The quicker we do what we have to do, the better," said Gordon Brown, a 25-year-old sergeant from Peoria, Ill.
Brown lights up a cigarette, looks out over the vast, barren sands a few miles south of the Iraqi border, and smiles. "We call this the world's largest ash tray," he said.
Physical training, target practice, mock war exercises and equipment maintenance take up much of the soldiers' work day, which usually begins at 6 a.m. and ends at midnight. During rest breaks and meals, soldiers sing, joke, play games and talk about their families.
"I'm going to miss my son's first birthday," said Pfc. Angel Lopez, 32, of San Juan, Puerto Rico. "When I left, my wife hugged me and said, 'Be safe.' Now I'm preparing for the worst but praying for the best."
Tens of thousands of U.S. troops are amassing in Kuwait in anticipation of a possible war to force Saddam to get rid of the biological, chemical and nuclear weapons the United States insists he possesses and he denies he has. The buildup is designed not only to give Washington the option of using force to oust Saddam but also to pressure the Iraqi leader to give up without a fight.
Some say a long delay in deciding whether to attack could cause American forces in the Persian Gulf to lose their fighting edge, especially if President Bush heeds the advice of allies and others to give diplomacy and U.N. weapons inspections more time to resolve the Iraq crisis.
Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said this week that the troops could stay ready for "several months, no problem," if necessary. The Pentagon also could rotate in fresh forces if needed, he noted.
He said weather is not the determining factor in whether to launch a strike.
"There is no doubt that no matter what time of year, we can fight and prevail in that environment," Myers said. The Americans' advanced ability to fight at night gives them a major edge, regardless of heat or cold, he said.
During training exercises in the Kuwaiti desert this week, soldiers of the Army's 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, based in Fort Stewart, Ga., concurred that preparedness is not a problem, no matter how long the wait.
"We're ready. We're at this point getting better and better. Now it's just a matter of maintenance," said 1st Lt. Lars Nadig, 25, of Yorktown, Va.
The soldiers interviewed expressed varying opinions about the possibility of war, with some saying they favored it and others saying no. At one point, two young men heatedly disagreed about whether America should attack Iraq without U.N. approval - a split reflected in U.S. public opinion.
Responding to reports that Saddam might be persuaded to go into exile to avoid war, Sgt. 1st Class Eric Wright, a 32-year-old from St. Paul, Minn., said: "I think he'll slug it out."
"Of course we prefer a diplomatic solution. Nobody likes war," he added.
The soldiers spoke about the worries of their families - and said the longer the wait, the greater the anxiety.
"I'm just taking it as it comes, taking it one day at a time, hoping for the best and hoping we don't go in," said Spc. Dennis Fowler, of Stevensville, Md.
The troops have limited access to newspapers, radio and the Internet. So visiting reporters are peppered with questions about the latest news.
Through it all, the troops work hard to keep up their fighting spirit.
Before storming shacks with M16 assault rifles - an exercise in urban warfare - they break into the 3rd Division's fighting ditty, the "Dog Face Soldier Song." Then a lone soldier with a winning voice sings a quiet ballad about unrequited love.
"You ought to hear him at night," says one of his peers. "He sings us all to sleep."
AP-ES-01-24-03 1454EST
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGASTA7KCBD.html